A Corpus Christi man has been sentenced to 7.5 years in prison following an armed robbery at a local hotel, where he made off with just $30. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas announced that 22-year-old Rudy Feregrino, pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges of robbery and brandishing a firearm during a violent crime.
According to court documents, the incident unfolded in the early hours of January 20, when Feregrino entered the Holiday Inn Express on Brookhaven Dr., wearing a black windbreaker with white reflective stripes, and distinctive grey high-top Nike sneakers. He approached the front desk, brandished a black and tan firearm, and demanded the clerk hand over the cash. The clerk complied, and Feregrino fled the scene, as per the Justice Department.
The arrest came several hours later after law enforcement spotted an individual matching Feregrino's description in a vehicle reported as stolen. Upon conducting a traffic stop, they found Feregrino wearing the same clothes from the robbery and recovered the firearm used in the crime, as detailed in a statement obtained by the Justice Department's news release.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos handed down the sentence, which includes the prison term to be followed by three years of supervised release. The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, together with the Corpus Christi Police Department, conducted the investigation that led to Feregrino's arrest and conviction.
As part of his plea agreement, Feregrino has remained in custody and will be transferred to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility in the near future. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Dunn. There's no word yet on where Feregrino will serve his sentence.
